


He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

by Itsuptomenow



Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Slow Romance, The Royal Romance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-08-04 01:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16337132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itsuptomenow/pseuds/Itsuptomenow
Summary: This is just a standalone scene for now. After arriving at Madeleine's estate, Riley is struggling with her feelings and the weight of clearing her name is bringing her down.





	1. Gimme S'more

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, first off, I'm so so sorry I haven't been writing my other fics. I got really stumped and I can't break this writer's block for those stories. I'm also having a hard time writing a more sensual scene for the SDV one so hopefully I'll get through it eventually. Please enjoy this little thing I did out of the blue. I want to write more for it as well just haven't decided what I'm going to do next for it. Thank you for all the support <3

Riley laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. It was her second day at Madeleine’s estate. The past few days weighted heavy on her mind. She had come so close to becoming Liam’s fiance, but someone went out of their way to set Riley up for failure. Who could possibly be against her being with Liam and becoming queen? It had to have been Madeleine, or someone close to her. They knew Liam would choose her as his back up if he couldn’t be with Riley. The thought made Riley feel sick to her stomach.

She rolled over onto her side, bringing her knees to her chest. A lump caught in her throat as she tried to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to run down the halls of this mansion, find Liam, and embrace him tightly. She wanted to tell him how much he meant to her and how no scheme against her would keep him from her. But she knew that was unrealistic. She knew she had to play the slow game and try to clear her name first.

Cordonia was all whispers now. The pictures had leaked from the night Tariq tried to make a move on her. It looked bad and she knew that. The prince’s suitor half naked, alone in a dark room with another man? It was all out of context though. Why couldn’t anyone else see that? Riley let out a loud sigh. It figured people would believe anything they read in the tabloids. People in Cordonia were just as dumb as people in the states. Everyone loved a good drama.

* * *

The events of the day flew by fast. Hana had come back to court which meant the whole gang was reunited. Riley felt stronger now that she knew all her friends would be there to support her through this rough patch. Madeleine had made it clear that she truly only cared about the crown. She knew in Liam’s heart he’d never love her, so she gave Riley permission to see Liam behind closed doors, as long as the two of them promised complete discretion. Riley was shocked at this admission. She had always thought Madeleine was such a fierce competitor because she actually cared for Liam. But Liam was all that mattered to Riley and this was a compromise she was willing to take until the air could be cleared.

Later that evening after the party, Riley decided to take a stroll through the gardens outside the estate. The night sky was filled with bright, shiny stars. Being out in the country side was quiet and beautiful. The moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the landscape. Lost in thought, Riley didn’t realize she wasn’t alone. That is, until she ran straight into Drake.

“Oof!” The sound escaped her lips.

Drake gently grabbed her by the shoulders and steadied her.

“Peterson.” He let out in a small gasp.

“Drake?” She inquired.

He looked into her eyes for a moment before removing his hands from her shoulders.

“I’m so happy to see you.” Riley beamed, searching his face for some sort of emotion.

“Easy, there.”

“What? You didn’t miss me?”

A small smirk played across Drake’s lips.

“I never said that.” He replied coyly.

“Oh, so you DID miss me.” Riley shoved his right shoulder playfully.

“Okay, okay. I kind of sort of missed you. Happy?”

Riley smiled knowing that was the most she’d get from him.

“It’s good to see you smile, Peterson. I know with everything going on right now, it’s probably not easy. If there’s anything I can do,” Drake looked down at the ground for a moment, before looking back into her eyes, “Let me know.”

Riley took a step towards Drake. She could she him shift his body back a bit.

“Thank you, Drake. That means a lot to me.”

“I care about your happiness. And Liam’s, too.” When those last few words left his lips, a sadness filled his eyes.

Riley let out a sigh and looked down at the ground. She began to trace circles in the dirt with the toe of her shoe.

“I just wish I knew who would do this. Or how many people are involved. It’s just so frustrating.”

“Look on the bright side, you have me, Maxwell, and Hana. We’re all on your side.”

“Why didn’t anyone contact me after security escorted me from the palace the night of the ball then?”

She looked back up at Drake’s face. His eyes were still sad, but there was a hint of frustration there, too.

“Liam told us we needed to be careful. Any texts or phone calls could be intercepted. He was worried who ever planned this could use it for more fuel against you.”

Riley nodded in agreement.

“That all makes sense. It was just hard. I felt so alone.”

“I understand, and I’m sorry if we made you feel that way. If you could have been there, to see how angry we all were for you, you wouldn’t have any doubts.”

Riley looked past Drake to where a lit stone fire pit stood a few yards behind him. He turned to follow her gaze. When he looked back at her, a smile formed on his lips.

“Hey, why don’t I cheer you up? Tonight would be the perfect night for making s’mores. I bet the kitchen has everything we need. What do you say, Peterson? Some good old American comfort food?”

Riley let out a small chuckle.

“You’re lucky I really love s’mores.”

“Wait by the fire pit. I’ll be right back.”

* * *

Riley made her way to the fire and sat down in one of the chairs. She watched as the flames danced in the air, orange and yellow. The smoke rose from the pit and swirled around in a grey cloud. Before long Drake was back, his arms full of all the ingredients they needed. He set everything down on the ground between their chairs. He handed Riley a roasting stick and began to open the bag of marshmallows. She held the stick out to Drake as he placed a marshmallow on the end of it. She turned back to the fire and began to roast it.

“You’re going to burn it if you hold it like that.” Drake scoffed as he got his own marshmallow ready.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were a s’mores expert.” Riley retorted.

“Damn right I am. My family and I used to go camping a lot when I was a kid. I practically lived off of s’mores.”

Riley twirled her marshmallow to allow the other side to start to brown. Drake held his out into the fire.

“Tell me more about your childhood.”

“Why?” Drake had a look of concentration as he roasted his marshmallow.

“I just want to know more about little baby Drake.” She said in a semi-mocking baby voice.

Drake looked at her. Riley expected to see him scowling in response, but a softness took over his face before he turned back to his marshmallow.

“You know how I always try to escape the court life? One of the ways I could do that when I was younger was when my dad would take me camping. The first time we went, it was a disaster. After hours of hiking, we couldn’t get our tent together and we had forgotten to pack dinner. So we spent the night huddled around a small fire eating s’mores. It was still an amazing time though.”

“That sounds so nice and simple.”

“The best things in life usually are, Peterson.” Riley could hear the hint of a smile in his voice.

For a moment they sat in silence before Drake began to pull his marshmallow from the fire. Riley followed suit and removed hers from the flame. Drake got out the graham crackers and chocolate and began to assemble their s’mores. Drake handed Riley her s’more and she took a huge bite. The chocolate and marshmallow melted in her mouth instantly and the crunch of the graham cracker was perfect.

“Mmm, delicious, Drake.”

For a moment they ate their s’mores in silence.

“So what happened at the Coronation after I got dragged away?” Riley asked as she finished her last bite of s’more.

“Once I got past security, I tried to get to you, but your car had already taken off. I ran after it, but I couldn’t catch up.” There was a hint of regret in his voice.

“Drake...I had no idea you did that.” Riley shifted her gaze to Drake. He was staring down at his hands.

“When I made my way back into the palace, I found Liam and Hana in your room. We discussed who could be behind the plot against you and Liam made arrangements so Hana could stay at court. Liam made it clear I needed to keep my distance until you returned to court for your safety. He knew Maxwell and Bertrand would take good care of you.”

When he finished he looked up into Riley’s eyes.

“Thank you for telling me that.”

“You deserve to know. I know none of us would want you to think we didn’t care. Especially me.” His voice dropped and became soft.

Riley searched his eyes for a moment. She saw that same vulnerability in them she had seen the night Tariq broke into her room. That was the night Drake finally admitted his feelings for her. It was the first time since that night, Riley had felt his walls come down. She had been fighting with her own feelings. She was in Cordonia for Liam, or so she thought. But spending time with Drake had made her realize he was so much more than a grumpy commoner. Deep down, under all his hard exterior layers, she could see he was just another guy who was afraid of getting hurt. Growing up around the nobles had made him harsh and bitter. It was all a defense mechanism. But behind that facade was a fiercely loyal and kind man. She had begun to question if Liam was really the man she wanted.

“Peterson?” Drake’s voice shook Riley from her internal thoughts.

Her eyes refocused on his face. It was gentle and soft in the glow of the fire.

“Drake...” She trailed off for a moment.

She could tell by his body language he wanted to reach across the gap between them and pull her close. The muscles in his arms were twitching under his shirt. His eyes were screaming out for her.

“Drake, kiss me.” The words escaped her lips before she could stop them.

“Peterson! We can’t.” He replied in surprise.

She could see the look of desire in his eyes. Always trying to play it safe. She knew Drake cared about Liam and his feelings for her, but she also knew a part of Drake wanted to throw that all out so he could be with her.

“Drake, please.” Her voice was low and urgent.

“Damn it.” Drake said in a hushed tone.

He looked away from her. Riley moved towards him. She could feel the electricity between their bodies. And in an instant, Drake turned back and his mouth caught hers. His tongue desperately searched for hers. His hands found their way to her waist and he pulled her close. She could feel the heat of his chest against hers. After a moment he pulled away and looked around.

“I want you more than anything, Peterson. But in the right away. A way that’s fair to everyone, most importantly you.”

He sighed, releasing her from his grip. His eyes shone dark in the moonlight.

“Riley!” Maxwell’s voice broke through the quiet night air.

He rushed over towards the two of them. Drake took a step back from Riley.

“Is it time to go?” She turned to Maxwell.

“Yep! Everything is all packed and we have a long car ride ahead of us.”

* * *

Within a matter of hours, Riley, Maxwell, and Bertrand had made their way back to Applewood manor. They were there to look for clues as to who set her up, but also a barn raising, as it was tradition for a royal engagement. When they arrived at the manor, Maxwell recognized the servant from the night in question. Riley interrogated her, only to find out that the person who set her up was a noblewoman who had covered her face. The woman had asked the servant to deliver a love letter addressed from Riley to Tariq and that’s how he ended up in her room. The servant apologized for not having more information. After she left, Maxwell and Bertrand convened with Riley in her bedroom. She filled them in on the details and they decided to do some further investigation before jumping to any conclusions.

After Maxwell and Bertrand left Riley’s room, she slowly changed out of her clothes and crawled into bed. She found herself staring up at the ceiling once again. She had a lot racing through her mind after tonight. Was she falling for Drake? It wasn’t originally her intention to kiss him tonight. She was swept up in the moment. He was being open and vulnerable. The gesture to make s’mores together was sweet. But why did she kiss him?

She ran her fingers delicately along her lips. She could still feel the sear of his kiss. She could still feel the brush of his stubble along her jawline. His breath smelt like whiskey and chocolate. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She let out a sigh.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid Peterson.” She said aloud to herself.

And then she started laughing.

“Peterson? Maybe I am spending too much time with Drake.” Her voice a quiet whisper in the dark bedroom.

She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath. Was it possible that after all this time she had fallen for the illusion of Liam, but what her heart really wanted was someone more like Drake? She took in another deep breath and slowly blew it out. She pushed the thoughts of the night out of her mind, but she still fell asleep with the remains of a smile on her lips.


	2. When In Rome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several days past since the night at Madeleine's and Riley finds herself closer to finding out who set her up.

As Riley and her friends continued to investigate who might have set her up, time started to fly by. Several days after their stop in Fydelia, they were finally able to local the photographer who took the photos of her and Tariq while in Italy. The photographer explained that everything had been handled through e-mail and she never met the person that paid her for the photos. Riley was starting to worry she’d never be able to clear her name. However, the photographer agreed to e-mail Maxwell the receipt for the credit card payment she had received.

“This is perfect, we can let Bertrand look it over and see if it will be helpful.” Maxwell beamed on their way back to the train.

“I don’t know, Max. It still almost feels like a dead end.”

“No!,” He grabbed her hand gently, “Don’t say that Riley. There’s still time before Liam and Madeleine’s wedding. I promise you we’ll figure this out.”  
  
He gave her a reassuring smile and she tried to put her mind at ease for the night.

Later that night, Riley was making her way back to her room when she ran into Drake.

“Where you headed to this late?” She inquired.

“I’m going to find some real food. All these stuffy, rich people parties are killing me, I’m surprised I haven’t lost weight.”

“Yeah, some of the food they serve...” Her face crinkled with disgust.

Drake laughed his hearty laugh.

“Why don’t you come with me, Peterson?”

“Hmm...” She contemplated for a moment before her stomach grumbled loudly.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” Drake answered for her.

The two of them made their way into the city and to the first open restaurant they could find. The lights were dimmed, giving the place a romantic aura. The room smelled warm and full of fresh vegetables and herbs. A waiter came over and seated them. He handed them two menus before leaving.

“Can you read Italian?” Riley asked as she looked over the menu.

“Not at all.” Drake replied.

She looked at him over the top of her menu. His eyebrows were furrowed with confusion. She let out a small giggle and his eyes connected with hers.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your face. Your eyebrows come together when you’re concentrating. It’s cute.”

“Cute? Aw, come on, Peterson. Don’t go soft on me now.”

The waiter returned and looked at them expectantly.

“I’ve got this,” Drake turned to the waiter, “spaghetti and pizza.”

The waiter nodded politely before making his way into the kitchen.

“Nice.” Riley laughed.

“Hey, those words are universal.”

“So, tell me about yourself Drake.”

“What is this, some kind of interrogation?” He said jokingly.

Riley sighed.

“I just want to know you better. The other night...at Madeleine’s. It was nice. I felt like you let your walls down for once.”

Riley could see Drake shift in his seat and swallow hard.

“What?” Riley pushed.

“It’s just...well...you know how I feel Peterson. I know you’re here for Liam. It’s why I built those walls.”

Drake avoided her gaze despite her desperate attempts to look into his eyes.

“Drake.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand.

He finally met her gaze. She could see the blush start to fill his cheeks. She gave his hand a squeeze. Just then the waiter returned with their food. They both pulled their hands back and straightened up.

“Grazie.” Riley smiled at the waiter.

He smiled back and walked away.

“Woah, where did that come from?” Drake’s fork was already finding it’s way into the pile of noodles.  
  
“Hana taught me a few simple phrases the other night.”

Drake nodded as he began stuffing noodles into his mouth. Riley laughed to herself as she grabbed a slice of pizza.

“So spill.”

“Hmm?” Drake responded with his mouth still full.

“Tell me something about you. Your childhood.”

Drake finished chewing and swallowed his food. He searched Riley’s face for a moment before looking down at the table.  
  
“Well, I spent a lot of time with Bastien as a kid. Both Savannah and I did. He was close to my father so he was always around.”

Riley smiled and nodded to show she was listening.

“He didn’t have any of his own family at court, so he would watch Savannah and I.”

“Aww, Drake. That’s adorable.”

Drake let out an annoyed sighed.  
  
“Anyway, he always seemed to enjoy having us around. He was pretty lenient as a babysitter.”

Drake took in a deep breath suddenly.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just, thinking back...I think Bastien felt obligated to us after my father died. Not in a bad way, I think he knew my sister and I needed someone to watch our backs. He basically became a second father to us.”

Riley reached across the table again and Drake’s hand eagerly found hers. He smiled at her, a hint of emotion in his eyes.

“Thank you.” Riley said softly.

“For what?”

“For telling me that. For letting those walls down with me.”  
  
Drake squeezed her hand.

“The things I do for you, Peterson.”

Riley could see a warmth in Drake’s eyes when he smiled at her. She pulled his hand towards her, reaching her body across the table, and planting her lips onto his. She felt him resist for a moment before reciprocating the kiss. He pressed his lips hungrily against hers. His lips parted, gently sucking on her lower lip. She quietly moaned into the kiss.

They were startled when they heard the sound of the waiter setting the check on the table and pulled apart. Drake rubbed his face, full of embarrassment, while Riley began to giggle. He looked over at her and smiled.

“Dinner’s on me tonight.” He said grabbing the check.

“Well, I hope so. You asked ME out.” Riley responded playfully winking at him.

They made their way back to the train. Drake walked Riley back to her room.

“Hey, thanks for coming out with me.” Drake said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Of course, I had a good time.” She smiled up at him.

“Have a good night, Peterson.” He gave her a lasting look before turning and heading back to his own room.

Riley felt butterflies stirring inside as she watched Drake walk away. She sighed to herself before turning and closing the door to her room.


	3. La Petite Soeur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Later in the week after their time in Italy, the engagement tour find themselves in France. Drake and Riley decide to investigate the address they found at the Beaumont study, but what surprise awaits them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a bit of a long one, but please enjoy <3

It was a few days after the night in Italy. Everyone had returned to the train after the fashion show. Riley and Hana had just found out Penelope was part of the plot against her. She had mixed feelings about it. Penelope was a nice enough girl, but she wasn’t all there. Her constant droning on about her poodles was enough to make Riley want to scream sometimes. But Penelope had admitted it was Bastien who had her set the whole thing up. That really pissesd Riley off. Bastien was supposed to protect Liam, how could he do something so hurtful?

Riley’s head was still spinning when she left the fashion show, she decided it was better to head back to the train, rather than accept Liam’s invitation to see the Eiffel Tower. On top of this new information, she was still struggling with her new found feelings for Drake and how this affected her feelings for Liam. She just wasn’t in the mood to have to put on a facade for Liam. Instead when she made it back to her room, she changed out of her clothes and crawled into bed. She tried to shut out the negative thoughts swimming around in her brain and soon enough drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

The next morning after breakfast Riley ran into Drake.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Peterson.”

“Yeah? That’s good because I need to tell you something. Last night Penelope confessed she was involved in the plot against me.”  
  
“Really? Penelope?” Drake looked bewildered for a moment.

“Yeah...it gets worse though.” Riley paused for a moment.

Drake’s eyes searched her face before she locked his gaze with hers.

“She was working with Bastien.”

The words felt heavy when they left her mouth. Drake’s face contorted into several different emotions; shock, disbelief, confusion, then disappointment.

“Bastien?” His voice was quiet with pain.

“We need to talk to him, Drake.”

“Good luck with that. He’s tied up making the security arrangements for Liam’s bachelor party tomorrow night.”

“Then I guess I’m crashing it.”

Drake audibly gasped for a moment, then a small smirk formed on his face, “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

Riley felt her face grow warm.

“Let me go with you. I want to hear from him why he did it.”

“Of course, Drake. Maybe he’ll be more likely to open up about it with you there.”

He nodded and smiled.

“In the meantime, there’s something else that's been on my mind.” Drake added.

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Do you remember that envelope of cash we found in the Beaumont study?”

“Actually I had completely forgotten about it. Why?”

“It was addressed for Paris. Not too far from here in fact.”

“Are you suggesting we should go see where the address leads?”

“It couldn’t hurt. Maybe it’ll give us another clue as to what exactly is going on. And honestly, we could us all the help we can get right now.”

Riley mused for a moment.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

The limo ride was short, but tense. Riley and Drake sat across from one another, but remained quiet through the duration of the ride. They were both anxious with anticipation of what they might find at the mysterious address. What would the Beaumonts need so much money for? And why were they mailing it?

As soon as the limo came to a full stop, Drake hopped out. Riley followed close behind.

“It looks like an apartment building.” She said following through the front door.

“Perhaps.”

Together, they took the elevator up a few floors, before finding themselves in front of a door marked with the same address as the envelope.

“Well, here goes nothing.”  
  
Drake extended his arm and knocked roughly. There was some shuffling around behind the door before the handle turned and slowly opened. A young woman with long brown hair stood in the doorway. She looked vaguely familiar to Riley, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“Drake!” The young woman exclaimed.

“Savannah?” Drake took a step back in shock.

A wave emotion hit Riley as she realized the woman standing before her was Drake’s long, lost sister.

Suddenly a familiar voice from within the apartment cut the awkward silence.

“Who’s at the door?,” the man stepped into view, “Oh! Hey, Riley and Drake...”

“Maxwell!” Drake said in a loud, angry voice. He clenched his fists at his sides.

Before anyone can say anything more, a tiny cry came from inside the apartment. Drake looked desperately at Savannah.

“Momma’s coming, Bartie.” She turned away from them and made her way back inside.

“Momma?” The words barely made their way out of Drake’s mouth.  
  
Riley could see that the color was draining from his face. This was a lot to take in, but she couldn’t begin to imagine what Drake was going through. She stepped closer to him.

“Drake, let’s just stay calm.” She said softly.

“How can anyone be calm at a time like this?!”

“Well you need to try, for Savannah.”

He let out a sigh and shook his head.

“She clearly didn’t want me to be a part of her new life. I should go.”

“Drake you don’t know that for sure.”

"She never tried to reach out to me. I think it's pretty obvious."

His eyes met Riley’s and there was an immense sadness she’d never seen before. He shook his head again and turned beginning to make his way back towards the elevator.

“Drake!” She called out after him.

Riley trotted after him and grabbed his arm gently. She could feel him flinch at her touch.

“You can’t just leave now. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for all of this.”

He finally turned to face her again. She released his arm and gazed up into his sad, puppy eyes.

“Come on, Drake, let’s just stay a little longer and if she wants us to leave, then we’ll go.”

He stood there motionless for a moment before nodding his head in agreement.

* * *

 

They spent a good chunk of the day at Savannah’s apartment. She explained how she got pregnant after falling in love with Bertand. The night she went to tell him, he broke things off with him. She was embarrassed and didn’t know where else to go so she left Cordonia. When Maxwell found out, he started sending her money, to help support her and his nephew.

Drake got to hold his nephew for the first time. Riley had never seen him so happy before. His face truly lit up when little Bartie gooed and gahed at him. Maxwell and Riley decided to give them some space and waited in the kitchen while Drake and Savannah continued to catch up.

“Maxwell, I can’t believe you didn’t tell Drake.” Riley punched him playfully in the arm.

Maxwell’s face fell as he rubbed his arm.

“Trust me, I wanted to, but Savannah asked me not to.”

“But why?”

“She already felt ashamed of what happened with Bertrand. Apparently he was pretty firm that he didn’t want to be with her. She was heartbroken. But with a baby on the way she just wasn’t sure how to explain it all to Drake.”

Riley shook her head in understanding.

After a little more time, the three of them took their leave. Drake and Savannah hugged good bye and promised to keep in touch. The limo ride back to the train was awkward.

“Well that went really well.” Maxwell finally piped up.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook.” Drake chimed in.

“Huh?”

“You knew this whole time where Savannah was and you didn’t once think to tell me? I was worried sick about her!” Drake began to raise his voice.

“Drake...I’m sorry. I know I messed up. There were so many times I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t my place to say it.” Maxwell had a pleading look in his eyes.

Drake scowled at Maxwell. Riley was sitting next to Drake and she could feel the heat of his anger radiating off of him. She reached over and placed her hand on his knee giving it a comforting squeeze. He glanced over at her. He let out a sigh and his face softened. The three of them remained silent the rest of the ride.

* * *

 

After they arrived back to the train, Maxwell quickly made his way back to his room, and Drake escorted Riley back to hers. She entered the room and Drake braced himself against the door frame. They were both quiet for a moment. Drake began to tap his fingers against the door.

“Hey Peterson, thanks for everything today.”

“It was nothing, Drake. I’m really happy you finally found your sister.”

Riley took a step towards him and he smiled sadly at her.  
  
“Thanks. You’re...a really good friend. Have a good night.”

Drake turned to leave, but Riley’s heart was pounding in her chest. A voice in her head was screaming ‘don’t let him go.’

“Drake, wait. Don’t go.”

He began to turn back towards her. She closed the distance between them grabbing his hand. A warmth filled her as she felt his rough skin against hers.

“Drake, I want you.” The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

“Peterson...” He said hesitantly.

“Are you telling me you don’t feel the same way?”

“You know damn well I do.” He entwined his fingers with hers. His thumb caressed hers.

“So then it all comes down to will power?”

Riley stood on her toes, her chest pressing against his, and her lips mere centimeters away from his. She looked deep into his soft brown eyes. She could hear Drake take in a deep breath as he steadied himself, not reaching for her, not pressing his lips to hers.

“You’re a model of restraint.” She said with a smile. Her warm breath tickled his lips.

“Don’t push me, Peterson. I’m only human.”

His eyes continued looking deep into hers. His breath smelled faintly of spearmint. Not being able to control herself anymore, Riley pressed her lips against Drake’s. At first she was soft, but firm, however soon she found her core churning and she deepened the kiss as if it was the only thing keeping her alive. She felt him resist, but the moment passed and he released her hand and tangled his fingers deep in her hair. His other hand found it’s way to the small of her back, holding her close, as his tongue hungrily plunged into her mouth. Not only did he smell like spearmint, but he tasted of it, too. Drake gracefully spun Riley around and pinned her up against the wall. She could feel the heat of his body against hers. Her cheeks flushed and her body began to tingle. All her nerve endings were on fire. Kissing Drake was the most intoxicating feeling. Her kisses with Liam were nothing compared to this. She reached up and grabbed at the hair at the base of his neck. Drake let out a soft moan into the kiss.

Drake’s stubble scraped across her face as he finally pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers, his hand gently cupped her cheek. He let out a quiet sigh.

“You’re all of my weaknesses, you know that?” He said in a low husky voice.

Riley smiled and placed another peck on his lips.

“I’m leaving for real this time, before we get ourselves into trouble.

“Good night, Drake.”

He pulled away, caressing her cheek, and looking deep into her eyes.

“Good night, Peterson.”


	4. All Around The Campfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the tea party has arrived and Riley still isn't any closer to finding who set her up. How will her friends help take her mind off of everything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're still here, thank you. Thank you so much for your patience. With work, and now starting school, it's hard to find time and motivate myself to write. I'll keep trying thought, and I hope you'll keep reading :D

After crashing Liam’s bachelor party, Drake, Riley, Maxwell, and Bertrand all got thrown out. Bastien didn’t give them the answers they wanted, he only implied it wasn’t his plan. Riley and Drake narrowed down that must have meant that Regina had something to do with the plot against her. The following day at the tea party, while Liam, Drake and Maxwell created a distraction, Riley approached Regina and Adelaide while they were mid-discussion. She didn’t get much information out of Regina a part from that she didn’t dislike Riley nearly as much as she originally had thought.

Afterwards, her friends gathered around to discuss what she had learned.

“Well there’s still the opera tomorrow night. Maybe you can try and get her alone then.” Drake said.

Riley let out a sigh.

“I’ve got an idea, why don’t we all go camping tonight?” Drake suggested sensing Riley's frustration.

“Tonight’s the perfect night. There’s a break in the tour schedule so I can sneak out.” Liam added.

“Alright, I could use a distraction. let’s do it!” Riley said enthusiastically.

The group gave an excited cheer.

Drake’s face hardened as he turned to Maxwell who was visibly delighted by the idea of camping.

“Who said you were coming?” Drake asked harshly.

“Wait, why wouldn’t I be coming? We’re all still friends, right?” Maxwell’s face contorted into that of a sad puppy.

“Of course we are, Maxwell.” Riley gave him a reassuring smile.

Drake cleared his throat.

“Come on, let’s get this show on the road before we lose any more daylight!” Riley declared.

Everyone piled into the limo and headed to the store for camping gear and other supplies.

One several hour drive and lengthy hike later, the gang all arrived to a clearing in the woods, on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The trees all around them had turned dark oranges and reds. The sun shined down onto the sparkling water, making it appear it was made from diamonds. Riley and her friends all stood there for a moment taking in the breathtaking view. For a few seconds they were all speechless.

While everyone else continued to gawk at the view, Drake began busying himself prepping the camp site.

“Drake, you should take a minute to enjoy the view.” Riley said.

Drake stopped what he was looking, glanced out over the ocean for a few seconds, then looked back up at Riley.

“Yep, it’s nice.”

“I thought the whole reason why we came here was the view?”  
  
“Yeah, but I can enjoy the view later once the camp is set up. What’s more important, the view or our warmth?” He said as he continued to work on the camp fire.

“I think Drake’s caveman instincts are kicking in.” Hana said with a giggle.

“This is how he gets when we go camping. Just let him be.” Liam added.

“Right, it was my idea to come out here, I want to make sure everyone can survive the night.”

“I think we could have managed, I’m very resourceful.” Maxwell chimed in.

Drake looked up from his work and looked Maxwell up and down.

“Nah, you’d be the first to go.”

“What? Even before Hana?” Maxwell appeared upset.

“Hey!” Hana looked equally as hurt.

Drake continued to fix up the kindling for the fire before finally lighting it. The group all gathered around the fire while Hana begin to the lay out the snacks she grabbed at the store.

* * *

 

After everyone was full of snacks and a random lizard had invaded the camp, everyone began to put their tents together. Drake was busy helping Hana before needing to peel himself away to keep Maxwell from sleeping under the stars in just a sleeping bag. Riley could over hear Drake losing his cool with Maxwell while she began putting her tent up.

“Need any help?” Liam’s naturally calm voice cooed.

“I think I can manage, but thank you.”  
  
Riley continued to build her tent as Liam watched over her.

“Wow, color me impressed. And here I was hoping I could show off in front of you.”

“I’m sure find another way to.”

Liam smiled.

Before they knew it, the sun had completely set, and the only light they had was the fire and the stars. Drake finally finished putting Maxwell’s tent together before addressing the group.

“Well we should probably get some sleep, we’ll have to leave pretty early to make it back in time to catch the train.”

Everyone else began to shuffle into the tents as Riley waited by the fire. Finally once the others had settled in, she tip toed her way over to Drake’s tent.

As Riley slipped into the tent, Drake turned around, quite startled. He was sitting there shirtless.

“Peterson, what are you doing here?” He asked in a hushed voice.

“I’m here to seduce you.” The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them, but she couldn’t help, but smile.

Drake’s cheeks instantly grew red and he stammered over his response.

“I mean, this is all pretty romantic, don’t you think?” Riley motioned to the tent before her eyes settled back on Drake.

He smirked and nodded. Riley made her way closer to him, nuzzling up against his neck. Drake wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and down onto his sleeping bag.

He let out what seemed like a sigh of relief before saying, “It does feel good to be out here with you.”  
  
“I’m glad to hear that, it almost seemed like you weren’t enjoying yourself.”  
  
“What makes you say that?” He turned his face towards hers.

“You’ve been pretty bossy ever since we got out here.”

“Bossy?,” there was a hint of hurt in his voice, “I was just trying to keep everyone safe!”

They both remained quiet for a moment.

“I’m sorry, it’s how my father always took charge during camping trips. I guess that must have rubbed off on me. I hope I didn’t ruin your night.” His voice grew soft.

Riley couldn’t stifle her laughter.

“No, Drake, it’s actually very cute. I like that you take this all so seriously. It shows that you care.”  
  
Riley looked up to see that Drake's face was bright pink again. He cleared his throat.

“Well is there anything I can do to make your camping experience more enjoyable?”

“Kiss me, Drake.” Riley whispered.

Drake sighed, his thumb finding it’s way up to her lips, softly tracing them.

“You know how badly I want to.”  
  
“Then what are you waiting for?”  
  
The same conflict she had seen in the past waged a war in Drake’s eyes. But before she knew it his lips had found their way to hers as they had many times before. His right hand tangling deep into her hair. Riley smiled into the kiss as it began to deepen. Drake’s free hand gently slid down her side, pulling her waist closer to him. His body felt amazing pressed against hers. She could feel his muscles flex and relax as the passion between them continued. The hand on her waist started grasping at her clothes.  She could feel his body pulsating off of him as their tongues continued to dance. Her hands caressed his face before making their way down to his bare chest. Drake moaned into the kiss when he felt her touch. It awoken a hunger in him he had been pushing down for so long.

Suddenly there was a noise from outside the tent.

“Bear! Bear!” Hana could be heard screaming.

“Sh, Hana, it’s just me! I was looking for a snack.” Maxwell replied.

Drake sighed, pulling away from Riley, and resting his forehead against hers.

“How about next time we go camping, it’s just the two of us.” He lightly traced the outline of her face with his index finger.

“I like the sound of that.” She smiled brightly at Drake.

Drake leaned in to press his lips against hers one last time, before pulling her close and drifting off to sleep.


	5. The Big Apple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley is closer to clearing her name, but is she any closer to understanding her true feelings for the men in her life?

The next few days felt like a whirlwind. After the camping trip, Riley confronted Regina at the opera only to discover that Liam’s father was the one who gave commands to Bastien. Liam was less than thrilled when Riley delivered this news to him. Liam suggested they  confront Constantine once they arrived in China. However, they night of Hana's family dinner, he feel ill and ended up in the hospital. Liam and Riley decided to confront him anyway, discovering he was the one that planned the plot again her after all. He had misjudged her, making the assumption that Madeleine would be more fit to be queen. It was too late for him to back out, after he had seen that Riley was more than capable to be queen, and there was nothing he could to stop the scandal. He advised they attempted to find Tariq, in hopes that he could clear Riley's name, and make public that the photos were staged. The rest of the trip in China was a blur and all Riley could focus on was figuring out how to find Tariq.

The night before the engagement tour set out for China, Drake and Riley had a steamy moment in the billiard room on the train. It wasn’t something she knew she wanted until it happened. With each passing day, she grew more and more confused about her feelings for Drake. Realistically if she wasn't caught up in winning a Princes heart then things would be much simpler. She knew deep down she had feelings for Liam, but every night as she laid awake in bed, she kept feeling more and more disconnected from him. He was always busy, entertaining nobles and pretending to be happy with Madeleine. In a way, she almost began to resent him.

“I like Drake.” She whispered to herself as she traced patterns on the bed with her fingers.

She let out a loud sigh. She knew, in that moment, that was where her heart truly laid. With Drake’s, not with Liam’s. She had tricked herself up until that point, convincing herself and those around her, that she was still there for Liam. That clearing her name would allow for her and Liam to be together again. But that’s not what she really wanted. She wanted to be free to tell Drake how she felt. And to hold his hand and kiss him in public without the scoffs. Her heart sank when she began to wonder if Drake felt the same way. She hated to ask herself that, she knew deep down he had to have feelings for her. But even if his feelings were true, would he worry too much about how it would affect Liam? Liam was his best friend, and she knew Drake wouldn't want to hurt him. Especially when Liam’s intentions with Riley were crystal clear. Being with Madeleine was just a rouse to appease the Cordonian public. His feelings for Riley were obvious. She grew sick to her stomach as she continued to think about both men. She squeezed her eyes tight, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. She was that much closer to clearing her name, and once that was done, she’d make her decision.

 

* * *

 

A few days later Riley woke to a knock on her hotel room door. Madeleine had requested Riley be the one that picked up her wedding band, so she had flown to New York with some of the gang.

When she answered the door Maxwell greeted her and made his way into the room. He gave her the specific instructions Madeleine had left for her and wished her good luck.

"Oh, and don't be late to the United Nations party tonight." He said before leaving the room.

When she arrived at the jewelry store, she bumped into Drake.

“Hey Peterson.” A slight blush crept onto his face.

“Drake! What are you doing here?”

Drake let out a long sigh before meeting her gaze. “I’m looking for a wedding gift for Liam.”

“Really?," the surprise was clear in her voice, "In a jewelry store?”

“What? You don’t think he’d like one of those?”

Drake pointed to a big, gaudy, gold medallion in the case. Riley began to laugh.

“Drake, Liam’s not a pirate!”

Drake sighed again and shook his head.

“I’m guess I’m not very good at this gift giving thing,” Drake paused for a moment, “Wait, did you just come here to make fun of my ideas or are you actually here to shop?”

Riley glanced down and let out a sigh of her own.

“I’m here to pick up Madeleine’s wedding ring.”

“Wow,” Drake's face went rigid, and then he frowned, “That’s cold even for her.”

The jeweler approached them and Riley gave him Madeleine’s name. He scurried into the back and quickly returning with the ring.

Riley sighed again as he wrapped it up and handed her a bag.

“The wedding is coming up pretty fast, huh?” Drake's face went pale with regret as he said those words.

Riley’s expression slowly turned somber.

“Yeah... I guess you’re right.”

“Don’t worry, Peterson, we’ll find Tariq soon. Then you and Liam can finally be together,” the words caught in his throat, “and you won’t have to worry about this shit anymore.”

“Drake...”

He cut her off before she could finish her thought.

“If we’re done here, do you think you can help me find a gift for Liam? Apparently I’m going to need some help.” A small smile played across his lips and he gently nudged Riley’s arm.

She smiled and nodded.

 

After a long day of shopping and a few drinks at the bar where they first met, Drake and Riley quietly make their way across the waterfront back towards Riley’s hotel. The bright city lights reflected off the dark water, like diamonds shining across a black blanket. The moon hung high in the night sky, illuminating the city below.

“This doesn’t seem like a short cut.” Drake joked.

“Just because it’s beautiful doesn’t mean it’s not a shortcut.” She playfully punched his arm.

“This city has a lot more to it than I thought. The movies really don’t do it justice.”

Riley smiled and looked out across the water.

“Thanks for helping me today, Peterson, and for bringing me out this way. It’s nice to forget about all the courtly stuff for a few minutes.”

“You’re welcome, Drake. I had to make sure I ended the day with the most romantic view in the city.”  
  
“Romantic? What about the top of the Empire State Building? Or the Statue of Liberty.”

Riley giggled, “Drake, it’s not about where you are, but who you’re with.”

She saw that his cheeks began to turn red.

After a comfortable, but prolonged silence, they finally reached Riley’s hotel.

“I wish we could stay out here all night rather than go to this United Nations thing tonight.” Drake sighed.

“Well, we do have a few more minutes before we have to get ready.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Riley’s eyes met Drake’s. She smiled sincerely at him and took a step forward. She could sense his body tense up. They hadn’t spoken about their heated night in the billiard room. They hadn’t had any alone time since then.

“I was thinking about kissing you.” She finally said softly.

“Peterson, I don’t know what you see in a guy like me, but I guess I shouldn’t question my luck.” She could hear the self doubt in his voice.

But before she could respond, Drake wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her body close to his. He leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against hers. She could feel his muscles tense and relax under his thin shirt.

Before long he pulled back and smiled down at her.  
  
“Drake,” Riley started breathlessly, “Anyone would be lucky to have you. I’m just especially lucky.”

Drake shook his head, still smiling, “If you say so, Peterson.”

His hand softly caressed her cheek before dipping down again, kissing her more passionately this time.

When he pulled away again, he rested his forehead against hers.

“We shouldn’t be out here like this. If someone were to see us, it could make things a lot more complicated for you.” He sounded slightly defeated.

“I don’t care if people see us. I don’t care what other people think.”

“Well I do. I could never forgive myself I messed things up for you, Peterson.”

She looked up into his big, brown eyes. There were so many emotions building up behind them.

“When this is over, then?” Riley finally asked.

Drake took a step back from her. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to find the right words.

“When this is all over, you’ll finally be free to be with who you want. And I guess a part of me is afraid of that. I can’t compete with Liam. I can’t even offer you half of what he can. But when all this shit with Tariq is cleared up, I’ll still be here.”

He looked down at his feet, let out a long breath, before looking back up at her. His gaze met hers. He swallowed hard in anticipation.

She nodded.

“So, we’ll talk about it then?”

The one corner of Drake’s mouth turned up in half smile, “I’d like that.”


End file.
